CHESS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12094, 23 March 1925, Page 11

CHESS

THE WELLINGTON CLUB. Twenty members attended the annual general meeting of the Wellington Obese Club, which was held on Saturday evening at the Gas Company s Building, 04, Courtenay Place. Mr W. Maokay (president) occupied the chair. Mr W. Toomath (hon. secretary) pre-1 seated the forty-ninth annual report, the chief points of which are as follow : —The membership now stands at 54 active, three honorary, and one life (W. F. Barraud, the, only foundation member on the hooks). The club assisted. othier local clubs in opening the Gleason wiffcb the usual “territorial” match, Wellington North defeating Wellington South by one game (2928). The club’s championship tourney was won by Edwin A. Hioks, G. P. Anderson being the runner-up. Other tourneys resulted as follows: Intermediate, Ai E. Jessup first, W. Wring second. Junior, Mrs Gyles and Mr F. Grady have to play off. “Petherick” tourney (handicap), A. E. Jessup first, W. Wring second. Seventyeight ladder matches weTe played, the most notable promotion being that of W. J. Fainburn, who advanced from rung 14 to 10. Mr E. A. Hicks, having won the club championship, takes rung one, and is to represent the clnb in file annual “champion of. champions” contest. The year’s programme was a very heavy one, and the club’s teams did not play all their fixtures in the competitions of the Wellington Chess League, the result being that they did not gain positions commensurate with their playing strength. In the season’s . telegraphic matohes the /Hub defeated, in turn, Otago (12i-SJ), Canterbury (141-51), Auckland (14-6), and Nelson (101-41). and retains the dub championship or New Zealand for another term. A very gratifying feature of these contests was the disposal of all the dub’s incomplete games by friendly arbitration, not a single game having to be referred to the New Zealand Adjudication Board- The thirtyfourth championship congress of New Zealand was held at Nelson during the Christmas holidays, when the dub was represented by Messrs G. P. •Anderson (who wop the fourth prize), and E. A. Hioks (who gained a “Sieger” prize for scoring more than half his games). An outstanding feature of the season was tare visit or Mr Boris Kostich., the first European dhees-master to tour New Zealand. Be spent a week in Wellington in July last, when Mr A. \V. Gyles had the honour' of scoring a. win in one <-f the illustrious visitor’s simultaneous displays-—a feat that he repeated at Masterton shortly afterwards The death is recorded with •ieep'regret of Mr H. Jessup—a highly esteemed member who was one of the dub’s strongest players, and' a valued' worker for the advancement, of\ chess. The 'balance-sheet presented by the jjonorafy treasurer, Air Gyles, sen., Shows that there is a credit balance of £9 on the year’s working, which is regarded as tery satisfactory, seeing that exceptional, expenditure had .io be faced. The report and balance-sheet wera adopted unanimously, several speakers paying tributes' to the care and vigilance wrfch Which Messrs Toomath and Gyles, sen 1 ., have guarded the club’s interests and finances. A word of praise was also accorded to the good work of the librarian, Mr A. E. eleotion of officers resulted as follow: Patron, Sir Harold Beauchamp, K.iß. • president, W. Maokay: viceIpreei dents, F. K. Helling, B. S. Taylor, A. T. Traven and H. G. Lee; committee, T. Fouhy, W. E. Mason, W. i White, J. C. McGrea and G. Wigham; match committee, W. White, It. J. Barnes and W. Wring; delegates to the New Zeeland Chess Association, A. W. Gyles and W. Toomath: delegates to Wellington League, W'. While and W. Toonath; hon. -treasurer, A. GyJes; hon. secretary, W. Toomath; asdistant hon. secretary, F. K. Kelling; hon. librarian, A. E. Jessup; hon. auditor, A. W. Gyles. The present harsh tourney rule by which a player loses his game by default if unable to attend on the schedule dates owing to fljness, temporary absence from Wellington, dr other inevitable cause, was discussed at sorde length. It was finally decided, on the motion of Mr H. G. Lee, to allow a competitor, who is prevented from playing on a scheduled evening, to furnish the committee within , seven day* of such date, with a written reason for his default. If the reason so given is not regarded as adequate the provisional win granted to the player who was present will stand. votes of thanks were enthusiastically accorded to the press of this city for tho valued reports given by them from time to rime, and a similar tribute of appreciation wad > accorded to last year's office-bearers.' In concluding the meeting tho president expressed pleasure at liaving, .on his tight hand, Mr W. T, Thane, Who was the first honorary secretary when the club was fonned in the old Panama Hotel, Taranaki street, on June 16th, 1876. (The club was formed as the result of an exciting match in which the final score was.: Town 24, Civil Service 23, drawn 8). Mr Thane, who was greeted with loud applause on rising to speak, thanked'members for their hearty welcome, and for the good wishes they had sent to him when he was ill. He was thankful to -say that he was now in very much better health. He gave some interesting reminiscences of the dub’s aarly days, and mentioned that the other pioneer officers were:—President, Mr George Hunter, M.H.R.; vice-president, O. \V. Ben-bow; hon. treasurer, W. Whittem; committee, Messrs Ellaby, W. F. Kennedy, G. Didsbury, E. Reeves and Charles Well-contested matches were played against teams from Parliament; Which contained many strong players—notably Messrs Ballanco and Bryce; of Wanganui, H. H, Lusk and W. L. Rees, of Auckland, and Hr. Greenwood, of Nelson. It was then the oustom to invite members of Parliament to accept honorary membership of the club. Mr Thane concluded several exceedingly interesting, glimpses of the club’s earliest years by voicing bis pleasure at malting the acquaintance; of present-day members, and heartily thanking them for the warm and kindly reception that they had given him. (Loud applause.)